Texas Teaching Certificate Programs
Below you’ll find some of the top graduate teaching certificate programs available from schools in Texas for currently licensed teachers looking to earn add-on certification.
If you’re looking for initial teacher certification programs, check out either our list of Bachelors in Education Programs or Texas Alternative Certification Programs.
As of 2020, Texas’ K-12 population is growing faster than ever, while at the same time, looming retirements for teachers threaten a growing teacher shortage crisis. According to the Texas Education Agency, the state will need to add about 68,000 elementary school teachers and about 65,000 middle school teachers to keep up with growing enrollment and to replenish the more than 125,000 Texas teachers who are currently eligible for retirement. In the last decade, Texas welcomed about 820,000 K-12 students – that’s an increase of nearly 20%.
Adding another teaching certification to your current Texas teaching license is a great way to explore different areas of education, broaden your career opportunities, and help quell the growing teacher shortages throughout Texas.
The U.S. Department of Education identified the following teacher shortages in Texas as of the 2020-2021 school year:
- Bilingual education: PreK-12
- Special education: PreK-12
- Mathematics: 7-12
Texas Teacher Certification Options
You can earn an add-on certification to your current Texas teaching license by completing either a post-bachelor’s graduate teaching certificate program, or by earning a master’s degree in education:
- For existing teachers, a Master’s in Education degree is a smart way to advance your career, boost your earning potential, and add another certification to your Texas teaching license.
- A graduate teaching certificate program is a fast and inexpensive way to add another teaching certification to your current Texas teaching license.
Schools in Texas Offering Add-On Teaching Certification Programs
Today’s add-on teaching certification programs, which may be designed as either a master’s degree in education or a graduate certificate, allow currently practicing educators to take their careers in a new and exciting direction.
Many of these programs are delivered in a hybrid or online format, which offers students the unparalleled convenience of completing most or all of the coursework from the comfort of home.
The University of Texas at San Antonio offers a nice selection of K-12 Master of Arts programs leading to an add-on teaching certification. Many of these programs are offered online for the best in convenience and flexibility:
- Master of Arts in Bicultural-Bilingual Education
- Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language
- Master of Education in School Counseling
- Master of Education in Educational Leadership
- Master of Arts in School Psychology
- Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction
- Master of Arts in Early Childhood and Elementary Education
- Master of Arts in Education – Instructional Technology
- Master of Arts in Reading and Literacy
- Master of Arts in Special Education
Texas Women’s University offers a number of master’s degree programs for existing educators, too, many of which result in an add-on teaching certification. For example, they offer an MEd in Special Education that focuses on interventions and an MEd in Special Education that also includes an Educational Diagnostician certification.
Dallas Baptist University’s selection of master’s degrees leading to an add-on certification is also impressive, with many of these programs focused on the current needs of Texas educators. For example, their Master of Education in Bilingual Education with options to specialize in Dual Language Specialization or English as a Second Language/Multilingual Specialization
